A Little Bit of Everything
by nakhodchivost
Summary: A collection of short and unfinished notes of Naruto scenes. Each chapter will be a different story and the theme and character will probably be different too though all of them will probably have Sakura. Added a new chapter and deleted the first one because it is displayed as garbage.
1. Chapter 2

A new attempt at writing another Sakura centric story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- This is delimiter -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This better be important griffin-san" a pink haired girl huffed while leaning against the door, her eyes glaring at what looked like a stripe-less tiger cub. "I need to finish that thank you gift for our host before we leave tomorrow"

After glancing left and right, said animal suddenly sat upright and took out a small devices out of nowhere.

"Hear me out first, Sakura-san. I am logging our request for departure from this world when I notice a request for departure made by bear-san" she rapidly explains. "The origin is one of the worlds that are also approachable from this one" she exclaimed, seeing the wide eyed look on Sakura face.

"When ?" Sakura blurted

"One hour" the animal replied, cringing for the reaction she knew will come.

"What ! But ... but we are not scheduled to leave until tomorrow" Sakura shouted in panic.

"Shh ..." the animal hush her. "I have changed our request to be immediate departure. I should receive confirmation in less than an hour" the animal whisper.

"Where should we depart from ? There is no basement or other secluded place nearby" Sakura whispered back.

"How about the hill just out of town ? It should take us an hour to get to the top" the animal mumbled. "But we have to leave right now"

"All right then, I'll write an apology letter to our host" Sakura decided.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We have finally reached the top" Sakura exclaimed.

Spotting a jutted rock nearby, she sat down. In front of her and far below the town spread out like miniature city. A mini tiger-like animal next to her calmly proceed to a small clearing a few paces ahead.

"Such a beautiful sight, I am going to miss this world" Sakura smiled.

"Sakura-san, I am ready to begin" the animal called behind.

"Coming griffin-san" Sakura stood up and dusted her jeans before walking toward the clearing.

"Have you received confirmation yet ?" Sakura inquired. "There is no change to bear-san departure plan isn't it". There is a hint of worry on her question.

"Yes, it is confirmed" the animal shouted back. "His plan is unchanged".

The animal have drawn a rough circle on the grassy dirt and currently stood at the center concentrating on a small device.

"How much longer" Sakura ask frantically as she cleared the area inside the circle from harmful debris.

"Fifteen minutes until their departure" the animal started to fiddle with his device. "Ready ?" she ask

"Ready" Sakura return to the center. "Can you get us on the spot where they will depart ?" Sakura pleaded

"I'll try to get us as close as possible" the animal press a button and immediately a globe of light started to flow out, encompassing the circle and everything within. A loud humming can be heard outside of the globe.

"Five minutes until we go" he shot Sakura a questioning look.

Sakura just stood there biting her lips and closing her eyes as if calming her frayed nerves. The animal shrugged and suddenly increases in size.

"Help me put on the saddle Sakura" he nudged the pieces that were suddenly on the ground.

Silently Sakura obeyed his request. With deft hands she put the pieces together.

"Two minute, no going back" the animal glanced back to Sakura who nodded in reply. "You better rehearse that stern lecture for the boy" he smirked.

A gust of wind started within the half sphere and picking up in intensity, kicking up dust from the ground and obscuring them from view. Wordlessly the animal lay still on her stomach while Sakura mounted her and secure herself to the saddle. She lay as flat as possible ignoring the rain of dirt that pelted her body from time to time as the wind becomes a wild vortex. Suddenly a black spot started to appear in front of them and getting bigger.

"We will make it" the animal shouted back to Sakura who gave a small smile but otherwise stayed very tense..

The black spot have reach its apex, encompassing Sakura and the animal, it stayed that way for a few seconds before rapidly shrinking back and disappear completely, taking away the half hemispherical globe of light and its occupant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a new world, the process repeated itself, leaving Sakura and the animal on a rocky ground. Both took a few second to look around and evaluate their surrounding.

"Where are they ?" Sakura exclaimed in panic. "Are we too late ?" despair laced her tone.

"They should start right about now" the animal craned her ears to listen. Suddenly a faint humming seemed to emit from above them. "There they are" he exclaimed. "Hang on" she said before leaping ahead.

"Please hurry griffin-san" Sakura pleaded in whisper while hanging tight.

"We made it Sakura" the animal said upon spotting a half hemisphere globe of light with a man strapped on a bear-like animal. "Stop ... bear-san" the animal shouted while running full speed ahead.

However at that time, the same vortex of wind and dirt began to form obscuring the couple from further identification. Sakura's mount put out a burst of speed

"NARUTO !" Sakura shouted as to overcome the sphere's noise. In record time she dismounted and sprinted towards the circle. "STOP ! ... PLEASE !" she cried, slamming her fist against the sphere. "Griffin-san, do something" she pleaded to her companion when there is no response from within.

"The sphere can only be canceled from inside, Sakura-san" He shook his head sadly.

"Damn it" Sakura cursed. Turning back toward the sphere to prepare another round of pounding, she gasped as a black spot started to form inside the circle and rapidly expanding.

"NARUTO !" Sakura shouted as she spotted the dreaded dark sphere. In desperation she raced away from the sphere and stopped about twenty meters from it. "I WILL STOP YOU !" she raved, cocking her fist back.

"Sakura, don't" the animal shouted in alarm and tried to catch her.

However Sakura put a burst of speed and rammed the circle head on.

"SHANAROO !" Sakura screamed while giving the circle all that she had in that one punch.

A rattle shook the ground as both forces met and Sakura is thrown back several meters, skidding and rolling on the uneven ground. In record time Sakura got up and ran ahead again for a second try. However the dark circle has reached its apex and now rapidly decompressing.

"NO !" Sakura howled while still careening ahead.

Fortunately the animal stood on her path and able to catch her midway as the circle disappeared with a whoosh.

"That's enough" he sternly pushed her down.

"ARRGHH !" Sakura shouted while struggling against her hold.

"Stop it Sakura, They are gone" the animal mildly reprimand her.

"God Damn it !" Sakura roared as she gave the ground a series of mighty punches.

A heavy dust enveloped them before setting down, revealing a tear soaked and bloody knuckled Sakura being hold back by the animal

"One minute ..." Sakura growled. "All these time jumping between worlds and I am still too late" she howled.

"We will get them, be patience" his partner nuzzled affectionately.

"We don't have time" Sakura persisted. "You said it yourself, with every vial he collected, a piece of his memory will also be gone" she bawled. "It's been a year and we are never this close".

"I agree. We have been lucky. We will be lucky again" he nodded. "Come on, lets find shelter and prepare for our next jump" he gestured for Sakura to re-mount, which she did reluctantly. Griffin then set a course and began to search for a temporary shelter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- Scene Break -~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a small peak of rocky hill, a stripe-less tiger-like animal can be seen surveying the surrounding valley. There are several steep peaks that could offer more protection but climbing them at night would be suicide.

"This place would have to do for now" he sighed.

Satisfied that there seemed to be no dangerous predator lurking nearby, he trekked downhill. A minute later he reached the opposite side, where there is a small cave that is invisible to anyone below it. Luckily the cave has a clean smell, indicating no recent inhabitant and good airflow. A few steps inside the cave, faint glow of charred sticks on a makeshift fireplace illuminated single bedding.

Sakura sat on said bedding, cradling her knees against her chest. The burned fire illuminated one side of her face, showing fresh tear marks and judging from the way her shoulder shook every now and then there were those marks won't be dry anytime soon. A glint from Sakura hands attracted his attention. With a squint, he can discern the layout of a necklace.

With a sigh the animal lay down on the entrance of the cave, orienting this sight outward. That necklace ... the blue and green tear shaped blobs that are fastened by a circle of small black beads. Sakura's most prize possession, a reminder of the man she chase after all this time ... her fiancee, the mark of their engagement.

Sakura never speak much about her past but that is all he know from what little she shared during their trip across worlds. He knew that every night Sakura would take out that necklace and gently rub her fingers along those tear shaped blobs. It is her way of remembering, of resolving her will, of casting her doubts. For the odds were against her, time were against her and yet she persist.

"I'm sorry ... Naruto" her whisper sound particularly loud on his ears. "I failed you again ... too late ... I am always too slow" Another series of sob indicating a fresh batch of tears being unloaded.

The animal sigh deeper. In a year of their journey so far, Sakura never cry, not in front of him or even behind him. Until now that is ... and he wonder if she can stop crying now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- This is delimiter -~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is inspired by largely Tsubasa Chronicles and I am trying to portray Sakura's desperation in "catching" Naruto and her disappointment when she failed. I don't think that I am successful in that regards, though.


	2. Perfect but Impossible

Hi, this is a new chapter for A Little Bit of Everything. Still told from Sakura's point of view

I am experimenting on putting a very long monologue in case I needed it on my stories. However my lack of writing certainly shows since I felt somewhat rusty.

What I am trying to convey from this is that for two people with deep emotional scars like Naruto and Sakura there is a dismal chance that they cannot completely trust each other thus rendering any chance of them having a relationship to almost impossible. So far I have not seen any story that exploit this angle.

* * *

It takes two person to make a couple but you cannot make a couple just by fitting together any random two person together. Well … you could but it will end up bad pretty fast. Anyway … those two need to be compatible with each other, they need to complement each other. When one is weak the other needs to be strong. When one is angry the other need to be calm. When one is afraid, the other need to be brave.

That also means that two people with the same weakness make a bad couple. Two people with the same fear also would not last long. How is it possible for you to help your couple when you also have the same problem ?

They say we make a good couple. It certainly look that way. He and I have been together for so long, we can complete each other sentences. We have been through enough traumatic experience to know that we can always rely on the other to watch our back. There is nobody else we rather have beside us and when we are apart we think fondly of each other.

How come we are not a couple, then ?

Let me make on thing perfectly clear. It is not that we did not want to.

If I have a quarter for every time I wish that he were mine, it would probably fill up my house by now. The time apart were the worst to endure and our time together is precious, I would not trade it for anything in the world.

So why are we not a couple ? Let me tell you a secret … we tried and it did not work out.

You don't believe me right ? I know, it took us three tries and six months of struggling to finally accept that.

None of our friend know about this, fortunately. If they do then they would force us to get back together. I cannot do that to him, he deserve someone better. Someone who can heal him, not one that hurt him time and time again. And he thinks that I deserve someone less fragile, someone to whom I did not have to tiptoe around and do jumping jack to prove myself.

You don't understand ? Like I say it is complex.  
Start at the beginning you said ? That's a good idea.

The beginning huh ? Lately I began to wish that I could go back in time and undo all this mess.

If only …

If only those kids did not mock my hair and my huge forehead.

If only I did not have that stupid childhood crush on his rival.

If only I did not behave like everyone else, treating him like scum, throwing harsh words with a few punch or kick and some rotten food every now and then.

If only he did not have that stupid childhood crush on me.

Do you get it now ? Our past are recipes for disaster.

You still don't understand ? Oh well, let me explain in a roundabout way.

People say that first love last forever … how I vehemently hate that expression now.

He believe that first love last forever. That is why he accuse me of being a liar and a hypocrite when I confessed my love for him. Twice I do that and twice he spat at me, Third time is a last ditch effort, all for nothing since I could not bear the longing any more. I figure that I will end up lonely either way so I might as well say it once more. His eyes show that he have some doubt but I foolishly think that I will be able to convince him.

Little did I know that it is not him that needs convincing but me.

I know that first love cannot last forever, I am a living proof of that so I always have this deep rooted fear that he has move on. It is what kept me from confessing much sooner. I don't want to experience the pain of rejection … again.

Why, you ask ? Because that saying is like a curse to us. It put us on this limbo state. We cannot last long without each other but put us too close and we will destroy each other.

And the worst thing is … we never meant to. We do it in the best interest of each other and to protect ourself but we end up hurting each other instead.

Yeah, both of us have trust issue. I totally blame all of those childhood abuse that we experience.  
Well, at least we have that in common. Much of everything else about us is the exact opposite.

He is handsome, in a rugged way. Orphaned as child but turns out to be the last one of a royal descendant. A genius of hard work even if he is dead last in class and a hero to our village. Everyone like him now and he even have his own flock of fan girls.

I came from an ordinary civilian family. The only reason people call me pretty is due to my striking hair colour. All of my female colleague have more voluptuous figure. The only thing that I can be proud of is my tutelage. They say that I have surpassed my master's knowledge in medicine.

But still … compared to him I felt weak. Yeah, I have a serious confidence issue but I never expect that he does too.

Yes, this confidence issue that we both have is what make our relationship so … fragile.

I live in fear that I am not good enough and one day he will realise it and left me. He live in fear that one day I will realise that I do not love him and desert him. I struggle to prove my affection to him, making excuses to cover for my absence when in reality I am taking secret job to buy gift or taking up lessons on how to do house chores. He struggle to have me stay by his side, doing extravagant things so that I will spend more time with him.

Make no mistake, we were happy. As happy as we can be but we are also stressed out at the same time.

That is our first attempt to be together.

He realise this first and suggested that we take a break from our relationship. It provider a respite even if we are plaque by loneliness. A drunken night put an end to that. We wake up in bed together and realise that we cannot bear to be separated from each other.

That is how we began our second try.

In a way it make things worse. We clung tighter to each other and our effort to stay together grow even more desperate. We started to ignore our job and focus on each other.

What took us apart the second time was debt. We work like crazy to get rid of them so we can be together again. When the last penny is paid, it is suppose to be a happy occasion. We are ready for our third try. Third time is the charm, right ?

But somehow it became awkward between us. We have to repress the urge to do outlandish things. We have grown accustomed to do ridiculous things that we forgot how to act normal. With our previous coping mechanism unavailable to us, we were force to face our fear once again. With each moment we spent together, our stress level increased and our fear elevated. One could compare it to two lit dynamites, each will explode when the fuse has run out.

As expected, mine blow up first. I cried and begged him not to leave me. I even went so far to say that I did not mind being his mistress if it is the only way for us to be together. This episode make him realise that he will always have a slight doubt that I will not go back on my word. The next morning we have a heart to heart conversation, revealing all of our fears to each other. We both realise that we cannot overcome our own fear in order to help our counterpart.

In short, at that point we know that we can not be together. At least not until we take care of our fear first.

After that things were in a delicate balance. We take care to not get too close and arrange our mission in a way that we did not leave each other too long but people began noticing that we grew apart.

My best friend has confronted me on this issue. I tell her succinctly that we have a fight and decided to get some space between us. She urges me to apologise, insisting that he would forgive me. I told her that I have done that.

No really, we do. That is the last thing we do before we split up. In retrospect, forgiving each other is easy. Forgiving ourselves … now that is something that I am never able to do, even now.

Damn, how I wish that we never become a couple. Having experience true bliss, it hurt even more to realise that we can never attain it again. If only I can turn back time and undo all those horrible things that I do to him.

At the very least I have to make sure that he is happy even if I have sacrifice my own happiness to achieve it.

"Sakura-chan !"

A shout broke me out of my musing. I look up and saw my best friend and former lover running towards me.

His flak jacket's pocket is bulging with scrolls and the pouches on his waist seemed to be laden too.

"Ready for our mission ?"  
He gave me that goofy and cheerful smile of his.

"Shall we ?"  
I nodded towards the gate. He acknowledge with a nod and a smaller smile.

With a burst of speed we leave the gate to start our mission.

* * *

Please leave a short comment on how do you think about the long monologue.

Is is good, bad or if you have any suggestion on how to improve it.

Regards

Nakhodchivost


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